Donate to Support this Website

Search

PBS originally reported back in September of 2013 of the successful deployment of the USA’s first commercial, grid-connected tidal energy project.

USA’s first commercial tidal energy generator

The good news is that the rest of the world is not waiting for the USA to led the way. Not only can Tidal power technology be used to harness the energy associated with the changing tides but it can also be applied to rivers and known ocean currents such as the Gulf stream.

One of the main advantages of tidal water power is just the opposite of typical renewable energy generated via solar or wind in that it is as reliable as clockwork. In addition, it can produce energy in a very stealthy manner that is virtual invisible and eliminates the typical not in my backyard argument often sighted by those that prefer other forms of energy production.

Basic work to mill grain has been accomplished using tidal hydro energy since Roman times, and relatively recently some previous technical challenges have been overcome that makes generating electricity via tidal power more competitive with other means of energy production.

The French have had a large scale tidal power plant that generates 240 MW of electricity in operation since the mid 1960s (Rance Tidal Power Station).

South Korea’s 254 MW Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant came online in 2011

Other Tidal power projects exist as well:
Jiangxia Tidal Power Station (3.2 MW), south of Hangzhou in China
Soviet Union’s orthogonal turbine (1.2 MW) at Kislaya Guba on the Barents Sea

PBS Video about the USA’s first Tidal project in USA state of Maine

Other more ambitious Tidal Power projects are underway:
In 2017 South Korea plans to launch a 1,320 MW barrage tidal power network built around the islands west of Incheon.

India started a 50MW tidal farm in the Gulf of Kutch in 2012

UK: The city of Swansea plans to start construction of a 240 MW tidal plant this year (2015)

According to Jose Zayas the Director of the Wind and Water Power technology department of the USA’s Department of Energy up to a 1/3 of the USA’s energy could in theory be provided by tidal energy alone.

EV of the Year Judge, independent green journalist, photographer, author and sustainability activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last seven years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter, facebook, Google+, Linked in or website